Lac Bournival, Quebec: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Mauricie, Quebec, is where Lac Bournival sits. The shore lies 34 km out. You can fish the entire water from one spot if you pick it well. It is a small entry by Mauricie standards. 8.6 km away sits Saint-Élie-de-Caxton, the nearest town. Shawinigan is 17 km away, with Hérouxville at 29 km. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Lac Bournival

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. County-wide records name northern pike, brook trout, walleye, yellow perch and white sucker. The county list is broader than any single water. On Lac Bournival the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 19°C on average, January about -14°C. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near late April. The lid tends to go about late April and return around late November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Anyone fishing Lac Bournival regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. For a change of water, Deuxieme lac Raquette is 0.7 km distant. Check the position on Lac Bournival before loading the car.